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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”